Blizzard: character names can cost you Forever beta access

A beta is there to test unfinished software. That does not make character names a rule-free corner of the game. Forever's naming system has prompted discussion, and a Blizzard customer-support reply provides a clear starting point.

The same rules apply on a test realm

Vrakthris wrote on September 19 that naming-policy violations can result in losing beta access. Having first and last names does not change those rules. The reply does not introduce a new policy or describe a whole Battle.net account ban.

That September 19 reply also advised checking the explanation sent by email and described the option to appeal a decision believed to be wrong. The newer announcement below limits that advice for the cases now handled by the development team.

September 25 update: development-team decisions have different handling

Blizzard’s Fwoibles posted at 22:51 UTC on September 24 that characters violating the rules are receiving forced name changes, and some users have lost beta access. The development team reviewed these cases individually. According to the announcement, customer support will not handle appeals against these decisions.

This materially qualifies the earlier, more general support reply. It should not be extended into a claim that all Blizzard account decisions are unappealable. Nor does the announcement describe a whole Battle.net account closure. Read the notice for your own case; the earlier general advice cannot be promised as a remedy for these new decisions.

Your name appears on other people's screens

Our rule of thumb would be simple: choose a name you would be comfortable typing into a new group's chat. It need not be solemn or perfect role-playing prose. A pun, nickname or bit of characterful silliness starts from a different place than deliberately trying to upset people.

Passing a name filter is not the same as receiving personal approval, either. An automated check and an assessment of behaviour solve different problems. “The game let me do it” is a poor reason to take a deliberate risk.

What should players take from this?

If your access is fine, this news requires no action. If a combination already feels questionable during character creation, choosing another is usually easier than explaining it later.

Individual forum stories do not establish the scale of enforcement or a general penalty duration. Read the notice relating to your own case rather than applying someone else's story to your account. Among rumours about servers and login problems, that distinction is easy to lose.